


always in motion, the future is

by KeeperofSeeds



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blanket Permission, Darth Vader Lives, Darth Vader Redemption, Gen, Hurt Luke, Movie: Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Podfic Welcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:53:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25064203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeeperofSeeds/pseuds/KeeperofSeeds
Summary: RotJ AU. Luke takes the brunt of the Emperor's anger and lightning. Vader lives, and takes the injured boy to the Rebels seeking their help.
Relationships: Leia Organa & Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader
Comments: 10
Kudos: 354
Collections: #ficwip 5k





	always in motion, the future is

He brings the boy to the Rebel base. Slowly, far too slowly, he carries Luke through the forest, passing through the still burning ruins of bases towards the sounds of distance celebrations. Luke does not stir in his arms. 

The Princess (his daughter) and oh, he was a fool not to see it before now. Her anger, the jut of her chin. The mantel of command she instantly pulls close when he emerges from the shadows and into the light of the fires. The righteous fury in her eyes as he takes the long familiar stance on bended knee before her. He senses the scramble around them of Rebel's rushing to un-holster or perhaps even find their weapons, to drop their drinks and protect the princess, but he pays them little mind. He is not here for them. 

He gently lays Luke on the ground between them.

The smuggler surges forward, but is quickly restrained by his companions. 

The Princess does not look away from his mask. "What have you done to him?" She asks, the words hard and loud enough to carry. The music and celebration around them begins to quiet, as news spreads. 

“I have returned him to you. What you see is the work of the Emperor.” He pauses for one cycle of his respirator, unsure what if anything his son has told the rebels of his discovery, of their connection, and decides to push forward regardless.

"I surrender myself into your custody Princesses. I come to your base of my own will, seeking care for your..." he is unsure also what the Princess knows of her heritage. He settles on, "your commander."

"Why should I trust anything you have to say?" She snaps and stomps forward, pushing off the hands that cling at her, to stand at the end of the platform, looking down at him. "Why shouldn't I order your execution now and take Luke after?" 

He can hear the murmurs of soldiers around them, feel the flash of excitement through their fear in the Force. But he can also feel Luke, the pain growing more near as he fights back towards consciousness. He needs to be taken to a medical facility quickly. 

Slowly, he gestures with his remaining hand, his lightsaber coming up to float between them. Shuffling and the clicking sound of hands tightening on blasters come from behind him. He brings his wrist up, a pointless gesture, he is not truly unarmed and they all know what he is capable of, no matter how beaten he appears. 

If she wants his life she may have it, he tells her. If she wants his saber she may have that as well. “My Master is dead. The Empire will begin to crumble without his guiding hand. Whether by my death or my life, I will work to hasten it’s end. I pledge this on the life of my son, who risked his life for your cause, and who I now have promised to protect.” 

Murmurs and gasps break out around him but he does not take his eyes from the Princess. 

He can see now she knows at least something of her family. Her eyes flicker from his waiting lightsaber to Luke's body, sluggishly beginning to move, but she betrays no sense of surprise at his revelation.

He waits, and slowly the Princess takes another step forward and another, down to the forest floor now. Raising her chin she comes nearer and reaches one hand out to grasp his lightsaber. 

He thinks she considers using it for a moment. He can almost feel the blood rise in his throat as the blade pierces his armor. Can almost image the satisfaction in her eyes from a justified revenge, the removal of a threat.

But she does not strike him down. The Princess takes his lightsaber and looks down upon him to demand, "Give me your word. Swear not to harm any being on this base." 

An easy promise at this point. "I give you my word. My only goal is the protection of Luke. Help him, and I am yours to command."

She stares at him, as if trying to penetrate beneath his mask and guarantee his truthfulness, but the only being perhaps capable of that lies on the ground between them. Finally she turns her head and calls out names, commanding a group to join her in escorting Luke to the nearest med facility. The smuggler begins to protest but the Princess raises a hand, cutting him off. 

"I'll take Chewbacca. We'll make radio contact when we arrive. If you don't hear from me you are to assume the worst and fire upon facility."

The smuggler grumbles but nods at his large Wookie companion who marches down to stand at the Princess' side, a bow gripped tightly in his hands. No doubt they all know the guard are for show. They know the extent of his capabilities, have had many of their number die at his hand over the years, but he will endure this show of force, these attempts at intimidation. For Luke. 

The Princess takes a holster and blaster from one of the soldiers and nods to Vader. "The facility isn't far, but traveling at night will make things slower than normal. Come. As quick as we can." Then she clips his lightsaber to her belt and gestures for him to pick Luke back up, and their journey begins. The eyes of every soldier, pilot, and local follow them out of the camp. The Rebels light torches but the path barely deserves the name and they are quickly surrounded by darkness. One soldier leads their party, with the Princess and Vader next, followed by the Wookie and other human soldiers. 

"What are Luke's injuries?" The Princess asks as they walk, and Vader lists what he knows: bruising, electrocution, possible concussion. The Princess' stumbles at this revelation, but quickly regains her composure. He dares to turn his helmet and look at again. Once again he silently curses himself for a fool. How blind he'd been not to see, not to question. 

Luke breaks his silent condemnation with a groan and their party stops, the Princess rushing closer.

"Luke?" she asks, raising a hand to reach out before remembering in whose arms he was being held and drawing back. 

"We should continue on," Vader says, and she looks once more up to her brother, and up further to Vader's mask, and turns to resume their trek, at a slightly faster pace now. 

Not long after they see the first traces of light through the trees. The Rebels seem to have repurposed part of one of the ground troops barracks into their own. More Rebels are standing outside to meet them. They grip their weapons tight but he spares them little thought. Princess Leia is already striding forward to talk to whoever is in charge. The woman is nodding, and gestures at her people to move forward with an old fashioned stretcher. They come to stand before him but Vader finds himself suddenly reluctant to give up his son into their care. Will they allow him to speak again once they are done? What if this is a trap he willingly walked into? 

"Lord Vader," the Princess says, stepping closer. "Luke will be safe in their hands." 

He hesitates and the Princess returns to his side. "I assure you, Luke will be safe. We will need to hear his side of the events before returning to the fleet, but you brought him back so we can help him. Let us."

Slowly, he relents, and lowers the boy onto the stretcher, and watches as he is quickly taken inside the building. 

One of the other Rebels standing outside swallows visibly and steps closer, asks if Lord Vader has need of any assistance. Vader turns the being down, and can see them sink back in relief. His wounds can wait. His lack of prosthetic hand replacement and the feel of wires with nowhere to send current to is irritating but manageable. Luke took far more of the lightning than he had. His own systems would hold out until he could be reassured of his son's healing. 

"Lord Vader," the Princess says, and gestures at a separate door than the one the medics entered. "If you would join me." She leads him to an empty room, a conference room perhaps or one of many potential storage spaces but waits at the door. "I will contact my people and join you shortly. Remember you gave your word Lord Vader." And with that she closes the door, leaving him alone in the room. Surprising. Perhaps she is testing him. No matter. He will wait. For Luke, he will wait as long as needed. 

The Princess returns and sits in one of the abandoned chairs. He does the same. Once again her eyes bore into his mask, as if seeking answers. The only sound in the room in the cycle of his breathing. Finally she looks away and begins to speak. She is straightforward and blunt, and he appreciates it. 

"You must know your coming to us will be met with heavy suspicion. The Alliance will not believe this...defection. Even in the wake of the death of the Emperor."

"I know," he replies. 

"We will need proof. We need information. Bases, naval plans, whatever you have that could help us fight the remaining Moffs and military forces who no doubt will be fighting to take whatever lingering power they can."

She turns her gaze toward him again. Brown eyes hard in the cool lights of the room. "Are you truly willing to help us Lord Vader?"

"I gave you my word Princess. Your doubts do you credit. You have no reason to trust me, but let me assure you my son, my...family, is all that matters to me now."

He lets those words linger, sure anything more direct will be unwelcome. She does not reply, not to affirm her knowledge of their connection, but not to deny him either. 

A knock at the door.

The Princess stands to answer and one of the medics is there. "The Commander is resting now. We did everything we could for him here, though he would benefit from a dip in the bacta tanks, he will have to wait until returning to the fleet for that. We've got bacta patches on him now to help with the burns and contusions and will continue to monitor him. You may sit with him now. 

Leia immediate makes her way down the hallway, apparently already informed of where her brother is resting. She goes into the room first but when Vader moves to follow behind her the Wookie guard steps in stops him. He feels angry flare for a moment, but pushes past it. This being is a companion of Luke's. His son would not appreciate him lashing out. Not after everything. 

"Let me see my son." It is not quite asking, but it is not quite the demand he might have made a day ago. The Wookie calls out behind him, and the Princess answers in the affirmative. He is allowed to pass.   
The room is clearly temporary. The machines and supplies a mix of things likely stolen or scavenged from Imperial bases or donated by sympathizers, but they look in working order at least. In the middle of everything is his son. Luke, looking too pale, but calmer now without the mantle of pain over his brow. 

The Princess has already pulled a chair next to his bed and sits, his hand cradled in hers. Vader sits further back in the room, where he can watch over his son and the door. He will not allow harm to come to him now. 

The Princess speaks up, surprisingly. He'd thought their conversation over for now, but she continues on, one last point to make. 

"We must plan our next steps carefully. This...was not what anyone could have expected." She admits quietly. "I can also promise you nothing of your fate. Luke's voice as a Jedi holds weight with the Council but he is one man, and one act certainly cannot stand against all of your destruction and years of fighting against us."

"I expect no less Princess." 

"Good." She replies, and returns her attention to Luke, her thumb brushing along the back of his real hand. The two of them sit together, waiting for him to awaken. Everything else can wait.


End file.
